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CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Browns are going all in on sports betting.
The team announced a long-term partnership Tuesday with Bally’s Interactive, a division of Bally’s Corp., that makes the gaming leader the official sports betting partner of the NFL team. As part of the agreement, Bally’s will have a branded lounge at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed bills to legalize sports books in the state late last year. Pending local approval and licensing, fans could begin legally betting in person on their favorite teams in 2023 — and the Browns want to have those capabilities in place for the launch.
The Browns and Bally’s Interactive also plan to have a mobile sports app that will allow fans to place bets.
Dave Jenkins, executive vice president and CEO of Haslam Sports Group, said Bally’s vision meshes with the Browns for fans to have “fully-integrated sports betting experiences.”
“As we continue to work closely with sports betting regulators in our state to ensure a responsible and timely launch, we are excited and confident that our partnership with Bally’s will ultimately offer industry-leading benefits to fans throughout Cleveland and Ohio,” Jenkins said.
The Browns and Bally’s have not yet decided on the location for the stadium betting lounge. Fans who are 21 and older will have access to sports betting on game days while being able to watch games across the league.
In adding Ohio, Bally’s will have market access to sports betting in 18 states.
In their release, the Browns and Bally’s reminded fans to bet responsibly and provided information for the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-522-4700).
